England have sprung a surprise here ahead of their World Cup campaign by making Jos Buttler their vice-captain.

It emerged in Sydney that Buttler, the softy-spoken but extremely gifted keeper-batsman, was Eoin Morgan's personal choice to be his deputy on this tour.

Stuart Broad is England's Twenty20 captain while Joe Root was a strong contender to become one-day captain after the sacking of Alastair Cook and is expected to become Test skipper at the end of Cook's reign.

Jos Buttler has been appointed as vice-captain to Eoin Morgan for the forthcoming World Cup

Buttler bats during the final of the Tri-series tournament with Australia in Perth on February 1

Captain Eoin Morgan personally selected Buttler as his deputy for the upcoming tournament

But Morgan clearly sees something in Buttler that makes him leadership material and it is the Lancashire man who would take over should Morgan be injured at any time during the World Cup.

England were in action at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday in a World Cup warm-up match against West Indies when Buttler was in immediate action, taking two catches in the first over off Chris Woakes.

Buttler (left) pictured with Chris Woakes (centre) and Morgan during Monday's warm-up with the West Indies

Wicketkeeper Buttler keeps a close watch as the West Indies Lendl Simmons bats in Sydney on Monday

West Indies, who quit their tour of India in October over a pay dispute and left out Dwayne Bravo and Keiron Pollard from their World Cup squad as a consequence, did not have much heart for the battle under cloudy Sydney skies and with England's bowlers gaining seam movement and bounce from the green surface.

West Indies crashed to 122 all out, with Woakes taking five of the wickets for just 19 in his first match since being mauled by Australia in the final of the Tri-series in Perth eight days ago.